Hurlford

Hurlford (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Àtha Cliath) is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It has a population of 4,968.[2] Hurlford's former names include Whirlford and Hurdleford.[3] The village was named Whirlford as a result of a ford crossing the River Irvine east of Hurlford Cross, near Shawhill.[4] It shares its name in Gaelic, Baile Àtha Cliath ("The Ford of the Hurdles") with the Irish capital Dublin. The census locality is called Hurlford and Crookedholm.[5]

"Àth Cliath" redirects here. For the capital of Ireland, see Dublin.

Hurlford
Village

Hurlford Cross. The propeller was placed on site by Hurlford & Crookedholm Community Council September 1984 to commemorate aspects of working life of communities between mid 19th–20th centuries.
Hurlford
Location within East Ayrshire
Population4,620 (mid-2016 est.)[1]
OS grid referenceNS456366
• Edinburgh75 mi (121 km)
• London404 mi (650 km)
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townKILMARNOCK
Postcode districtKA1, KA3
Dialling code01560
01563
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

The village's Blair Park is home to Hurlford United F.C. and many notable footballers have been trained there.

Local Council Wards

The village is mostly contained in the Kilmarnock East and Hurlford ward of East Ayrshire Council while some outlying hamlets are in the Irvine Valley ward.[6]

Religion

Traditionally part of Riccarton parish,[7] the village is now a quoad sacra parish in its own right. Hurlford is home to four church buildings—the Hurlford Kirk and Hurlford Church, both in Main Road, Crookedholm and the Mauchline Road Church.

St Paul's Catholic Church is on Galston Road, Gothic style church, designed by architect Robert Samson Ingram and dates from 1883 and is constructed in yellow brick.[8]

Hurlford Church, the former Free Church built in 1857, is part of the Church of Scotland.[9] Mauchline Road Church was formerly part of the Unitarian Church.[4] It is now used as luxury housing.[10] The Hurlford Kirk, which was the original parish church built in 1875 has also been converted into a house, having become redundant as a church in 1996 when its congregation merged with that of the Free Church.[11][12]

Education

Hurlford Primary School

Hurlford Primary School, formerly Hurlford Grammar and Secondary School is the non-denominational primary school for the area and also houses Hurlford Nursery School.[13] The building itself dates back to 1905.[14]

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Rothesay, visited and congratulated the staff and children on 20 June 2005 on their achievements transforming school meals,[15] which was followed by the school winning the Soil Association's School Food Award at the BBC's Good Food Show, presented by Jamie Oliver.[16]

Crossroads Primary School

Crossroads Primary School, now closed, formerly served the outlying areas of Hurlford and surrounding villages. It was closed by East Ayrshire Council as it was no longer financially viable to repair the building, despite parental and local protest. Pupils now attend Galston Primary School.[17]

Economy
Shawhill House near Hurlford.

The town developed rapidly in the 19th century, following the discovery of coal. Fireclay and ironstone were also worked extensively until production ceased in the 1970s. A poignant reminder of the heyday of the iron and steel industry of Hurlford is the ship's propeller erected at the Cross in the lately redeveloped town centre.[18] Today, industries found in Hurlford include brakepad manufacturing by Eurofriction Limited and whisky production by international company Diageo.

Transport

Hurlford railway station is now closed. Hurlford also used to boast its own tramway system, which connected it to Kilmarnock. Nowadays, the main public transport links are provided by several Stagecoach West Scotland bus services, including direct services to Glasgow.

Notable residents

The village is often referred to as a "football nursery" due to its high output of footballers:

See also

References
  1. "Mid-2016 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  2. "Browser Population". Scrol.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  3. East Ayrshire Council Minutes, page 217, Item 7
  4. "John helps put Hurlford history on the world map". Kilmarnock Standard. 4 October 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  5. "NR Scotland list of localities" (PDF). NRScotland.gov.uk. 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  6. Boundary Commission for Scotland, Fourth Statutory Review of Electoral Arrangements East Ayrshire Council area maps Archived 9 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Site Record for Bowhouse, Air Ministry Munitions Factory Woodhead Details". Rcahms.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  8. "Dictionary of Scottish Architects – DSA Building/Design Report (February 21, 2019, 9:32 am)". www.scottisharchitects.org.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  9. "Hurlford Church". Scotland's Churches Scheme. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  10. "Hurlford Church : Floor Plans : Lumax homes ltd :". Lumaxhomes.com. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  11. "Crookedholm, Main Road, Former Hurlford Kirk and Manse, Including Boundary Walls and Gatepiers, Kilmarnock". BritishListedBuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  12. Davidson, Laura (20 July 2008). "Church conversion was answer to our prayers; Derelict kirk is the perfect family home peek in your pad". Sunday Mail. Glasgow: Scottish Daily Record & Sunday.
  13. "Map – East Ayrshire Council". East-ayrshire.gov.uk. 2 August 2010. Archived from the original on 3 September 2005. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  14. "Hurlford Primary School Including Boundary Walls, Gates and Railings, Riccarton". BritishListedBuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  15. "TRH join children taking part in a healthy eating scheme in Ayrshire". The Prince of Wales. 21 June 2005. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  16. "Ayrshire school scoops Soil Association School Food Award". Catering in Scotland. 25 November 2005. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  17. Woodison, Alan (30 July 2010). "Scottish Government decide not to call in EAC's Crossroads Primary closure decision – the village school will not re-open,". Kilmarnock Standard. Scottish & Universal Newspapers. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  18. "My Area – Hurlford". East Ayrshire Council. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
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